You may think that light pollution isn't something extraordinarily important. You may believe that every other type of pollution has a larger impact on the environment that light pollution does. But light pollution is serious.

    Light pollution, or “sky glow”, is the glow you can see at night above cities and towns. Light pollution is a problem that has been accompanying man ever since he started his first fire some 15,000 years ago. Light pollution is the light that comes from streetlights, buildings, parking lots and any other source of light that is reflected or directed into the atmosphere.

    Urban light pollution means that one-fifth of the world's population can no longer see the Milky Way(银河) with the naked eye(肉眼). Many city kids, even if they did look through the orange smog above their heads, would probably see only a handful of stars. We have lost our view of the stars, and we have mucked up our  night-time environment as well. Astronomers are calling for the dark places on Earth to be preserved as national parks.

    Lots of people find the ever-brightening night annoying, and animals that are programmed to prefer the dark may avoid a brightened habitat. Sea turtles can get lost searching for a beach to lay eggs, and their hatchlings(孵化的幼仔)may confuse over-lit beachfront resorts(度假胜地) for the ocean horizon, wasting precious energy needed to find the sea and escape predators(食肉动物). Because their necks aren't yet long enough to see things far away, baby turtles rely on the mirror image of the moon to guide them to the sea, to begin their new life. A car may even hit a particular turtle, which was thinking the light from a nearby city was moonlight reflecting off the ocean waves. Birds that live in and around cities can die because of sky glow, too. The bright lights can blind them, leading to countless collisions with buildings and other tall structures.

    On an individual level, people can help reduce much sky glow by using lighting only when necessary. The stars above us are priceless heritage— for not only for astronomers but for all humans. More of our children should be able to look up at night and see the Milk Way.

    Salvador Dali(1904-1989)was one of the most popular of modern artists. The Pompidou centre in Paris is showing its respect and admiration for the artist and his powerful personality with an exhibition bringing together over 200 paintings, sculptures, drawing and more. Among the works and masterworks on exhibition the visitor will find the best pieces, most importantly the Persistence of Memory. There is also L' Enigme sans Fin from 1938, works on paper, objects, and projects for stage and screen and selected parts from television programmes reflecting the artist's showman qualities.

The visitor will enter the World of Dali through an egg and is met with the beginning, the world of birth. The exhibition follows a path of time and subject with the visitor exiting through the brain.

    The exhibition shows how Dali draws the viewer between two infinities (无限). “From the infinity small to the infinity large, contraction and expansion coming in and out of focus: amazing Flemish accuracy and the showy Baroque of old painting that he used in his museum-theatre in Figueras,” explains the Pompidou Centre.

    The fine selection of the major works was done in close collaboration (合作)with the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain, and with contributions from other institutions like the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.

    Are you addicted to computer games? Do you stay up all night playing them? Do you feel happy after you play computer games? There's no doubt that the excitement and appealing of games these days makes them hard to put down. More and more people are attracted by the choice when it comes to gaming: You can role play--creating your own fantasy characters and stories, giving you a chance to step out of everyday life into an imaginary world. And there are shooting games where you can let out your anger and depression in violent situations where you kill people with guns. You can get excited from the games.

    However, can these kinds of games really be fun and can being absorbed in virtual reality be good for us? Should we worry about their effects on our health? Popular games like Grand Theft Auto have been blamed for everything from falling results at school to causing acts of extreme violence. Internet safety advisor, Alan MacKenzie, thinks “many people understandably will just think that a game is just a game and not realizing the exact content that's in there”. He gives an example of the violence, which he says is “wholly inappropriate for anybody, not to mention children.”

    Others will argue that gaming is a harmless form of entertainment. There is evidence that playing video games could actually be good for us. Some games are educational and using games certainly can help children learn good qualities. Studies have also shown that the skills used in playing games can cause growth in certain areas of the brain, the ability to think in 3D and even improve our eyesight.

    Video gamers are also no longer just simple creatures. Just as Edward Smith, the professor in Oxford University, puts it that for some, gaming is having a positive effect on their social lives with games like Halo and World of Warcraft often being played in groups. When your group works together to win the game, your sense of achievement is higher than when winning by yourself.

So every coin has two sides. It seems today, gaming isn't just for game fans and if used in a proper way, we can all take part. If video games have two sides, what side do you stand by?

    Self-driving vehicles will rely on cameras, sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize and respond to road and traffic conditions, but sensing is the most effective for objects and movement in the neighborhood of the vehicle. Not everything important in a car's environment will be caught by the vehicle's camera. Another vehicle approaching at high speed on a collision (碰撞) track might not be visible until it's too late. This is why vehicle-to-vehicle communication is undergoing rapid development. Our research shows that cars will need to be able to chat and cooperate on the road, although the technical challenges are considerable.

    Applications for vehicle- to-vehicle communication range from vehicles driving together in a row, to safety messages about nearby emergency vehicles. Vehicles could alert each other to avoid collisions or share notices about passers-by and bicycles.

    From as far as several hundred meters away, vehicles could exchange messages with one another or receive information from roadside units (RSUs) about nearby incidents or dangerous road conditions through 4G network. A high level of AI seems required for such vehicles, not only to self-drive from A to B, but also to react intelligently to messages received. Vehicles will need to plan, reason, strategize and adapt in the light of information received in real time and to carry out cooperative behaviors. For example, a group of autonomous vehicles might avoid a route together because of potential risks, or a vehicle could decide to drop someone off earlier due to messages received, a foreseen crowding ahead.

    Further applications of vehicle- to-vehicle communication are still being researched, including how to perform cooperative behavior.

    GROUP EVENTS & PARTIES

    Wanting to have a great time for a special occasion (场合), but are tired of the usual restaurant dinner, or house party? If so, then bring your group to Florida Surf Lessons to go surfing and then get ready for a great time on the beach, and in the surf!

    Tell us what your theme is and then let the professionals at Florida Surf Lessons take care of the rest!

    Birthday Parties: Surfing birthday parties are a fantastic way to celebrate life by getting out there and experiencing it. Guests at a surfing party will be grateful for this opportunity to join you in beginning this new and exciting challenge in life. We provide goodie bags (礼品包) and all. Parents: Not only will your child appreciate you but your celebrity status (名人地位) with their friends will soar!

    Teams & Clubs: Mix up the daily routine by taking your team or club surfing with Florida Surf Lessons. Your group is sure to have a wonderful experience.

School Field Trips: Attention teachers! Give your kids a field trip that is educational, fun and sure to please.

    Reunions & Family Events: Surfing is a terrific way to bring loved ones and friends together.

    Graduation Parties: Let's go surfing to celebrate this great occasion.

    Age Requirements: Min: 5 years old — For Both Kids and Adults—Men and Women

    Group Size: Over 5 People

    When Offered: Every day from July 1 to August 30. Click Here For More Information!

    Cost: $48.00 per person(A 20% discount will be given to a group of over nine people)

    Included: Professional Surf Instruction + Surfboard + Party Favors

    Lesson Length: 3 Hours (booking ahead of schedule is needed)

    Male And Female Instructors Available: Yes

    Contact Us: 561-625-5375· info@floridasurflessons.com

VAZOnepwr Blade 5 Dual

Cordless Blade 5 is a great one for sheer suction(吸力) power. It's easy to use it under furniture and it works well on all surfaces. The dust tank holds 0.7 litres and it comes with two batteries for 90 minutes of charge. If you're on a budget, the Blade 4 is a good option (now£250,from£450;vax. co.uk)

MIele Complete C3

At 890W, this corded vacuum is "exceptionally powerful" and its "Air Clean" filtration traps even tiny particles. It has a 12m radius(半径) and comes with three tools, stored in the body(£219;miele.co.uk)

Shark CZ500UKT Duo Clean

This 880W corded vacuum has remarkable suction power. It can switch between cleaning carpets or hard floors, and has an anti-hair-wrap brush roll and an LED light to show up dust (£330; sharkclean.co.uk)

Dyson Ball Animal Multi-floor

Unusually easy to move or turn skillfully thanks to its responsive rollerball, this bagless vacuum delivers strong suction and is great for getting up pet hair. A bit heavy at 7.4kg, it has a ten-metre cord and 3.5-litr e caddy, which ejects at the touch of a button (£380; dyson.co.uk)

Henry HVR 160-11

A long-standing favourite, the Henry is famously strong and great value. It has a large six-litre dust bag, and packs 620W of power. Its cord is a generous ten metres, and it has a long 2.2m hose, which is useful for cleaning up high and under sofas (£130; myhenry.com).